It Was a Sh*t Show

Making a model home is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Arrested Development, from a studio head who didn't understand the TV series, to the failed marketing that doomed it to cancellation.

Making a film after 18 years of television is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make The Simpsons Movie, from finding an idea after 400 episodes, to the endless last-minute changes to the final movie.

Pretending you’re a pod person is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to adapt The Body Snatchers, from the 1956’s Invasions of the Body Snatchers, to 2007’s The Invasion, where both films changed titles, suffered reshoots, and altered endings.

Making a vanity project for a Chinese billionaire is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Empires of the Deep, from the musical chairs of frustrated directors, to the harrowing journey of one actor attempting to leave the production.

Rebuilding a model home is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make the revival of Arrested Development, from the scheduling conflicts of Season 4, to the actor fights during Season 5.

Paying someone to be your family is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Surviving Christmas, from the production ruining a suburb, to releasing the film a week before Halloween.

Finding the Death Star plans is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, from the multiple script revisions during filming, to the enormous amount of reshoots.

Making an underwater movie is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make The Abyss, from the logistical nightmare of all involved during filming, to dealing with James Cameron’s perfectionism.

Animating Patrick Warburton is hard. In this edition of Creators Talk, let’s interview director and animator Tony Bancroft about his time on The Emperor’s New Groove, from why he thought Roger Allers' Kingdom of the Sun wasn’t finished, to the joys of animating Kronk.

Making a movie trailer is hard. Let’s talk about how some trailers can actively mislead their audience, from removing main characters in Frozen and Inglorious Basterds, to changing the film’s genre in Bridge to Terabithia and In Bruges.

Making John Wayne Asian is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make The Conqueror (with guest host Ryan Uytdewilligen), from Howard Hughes forcing animals, actors, and sand into production, to the cast and crew inadvertently becoming nuclear fallout downwinders.

Remembering who you are is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make The Bourne Identity, from dealing with Director Doug Liman’s erratic behavior, to the endless amount of reshooting to get the film right.

Avoiding paparazzi is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Mr. & Mrs. Smith, from the constant tabloid rumors of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s relationship, to dealing with director Doug Liman’s annoying eccentricities.

Fighting for brand name products is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Foodfight!, from the movie starting over after the hard-drives were "stolen", to an insurance company forcing the film to completion.

Cruising Modesto is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make American Graffiti, from the drunken chaotic set (thanks Harrison Ford!), to Universal refusing to release a film they didn’t understand.

Finding a MacGuffin is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to write Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull, from George Lucas trying to convince Steven Spielberg to use aliens, to Frank Darabont getting zero credit for the final film.

Making humans look like cats is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make Cats, from the visual effects studios not being given enough time to finish the film, to the way director Tom Hooper treated the artists involved.

Making public domain characters relevant again is hard. Let’s talk about how difficult it was to make The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, from a flood that destroyed millions worth of sets, to Sean Connery nearly getting into a fight with Director Stephen Norrington.

Life in plastic is not fantastic. Let's talk about how difficult it was to make Barbie, from Diablo Cody not finding the perfect idea, to Amy Schumer unable to make the feminist version that Greta Gerwig did.